Day 6/7

Caught the bus home just as the sun was setting, turning the water and clouds red, and giving all the buildings a pink glow, the rest of the sky, white.  Strained to catch glimpses as the bus passed between the buildings, did not get off the bus, as I briefly thought to do, all the same: glorious.

Some general thoughts about auditions, mostly for my future reference:

• The auditors are on your side, they want you to shine.
• Know your text backwards and forwards, be able to say it in your sleep.
• Use your whole body.
• Pay attention to your hands (something I'd noticed previously, a lot of times extraneous hand/arm gestures throw off energy that would be better focused in your words or in the rest of your body.  A useful exercise is holding your hands behind your back so you can't use them.  See where the energy goes.  It does make a difference - though, probably don't do the actual audition that way, just be aware of where your energy is going.  Be conscious of it.  Make where it goes a choice.)
• Use the stage.  If 100 other actors plant and deliver, you'll stand out as being one who doesn't.  I had learned to plant as well, and then was asked to move in an audition...do it before you are asked.  If they want you to stand still, that's an easy adjustment to make.
• I'm thinking do the strongest monologue first. In the event that it's true that people make a decision in the first 20 seconds, show your strength in those first 20 seconds.  Also, if you run over and have "time" called, they saw the best part already.
• As scary as it is, run your monologues in front of an objective audience before the audition.  Ask for specific feedback.  Ask if the monologue leaves an impression.
• Do what you are good at.
• Contrasting work shows your range.
• Make a strong transition between pieces.  If there isn't enough contrast between the pieces, or you don't pause, or somehow change your manner, it's hard to tell you're actually doing a different piece.
• Bright (primary) colors pop on a grey or black stage.  Accent.
• Worth repeating: The auditors are on your side.  They want you to knock it out of the park.

I successfully resisted the Cheeze-its.  The coconut cream chia-pudding tasted good, but in the end was probably too rich, felt like vomiting shortly after eating it.  The fountain was making a flower-petal like pattern today.  Second picture is of a magnolia (?) tree.

Fountain, February 24/L Herlevi 2015

Tree in bloom, February 23/L Herlevi 2015